10 Fundraising Tips to make your fundraiser a success

October 13, 2015

Fundraising is no small task… Whether you run a non-profit, a small business or a large corporation, when it comes to asking for donations, most of us head for the hills.

Fundraising programs like the Planet Green Recycling program allows organizations to raise funds without asking contributors cash. Our program asks your audience to donate items that they are no longer using anyway.

The Planet Green Recycling program allows those who care about the environment to connect their passion directly to your cause, by donating their ink cartridges and small electronics. There is no need to convince your family, friends, and neighbors to become EnviroFriends – just provide them with the steps and resources needed to contribute to two causes they already care about: your organization and the environment.

Here are a few tips to help you in your fundraising journey:

Research/know your audience

When reaching to your audience, know what interests them. Why should they donate to your cause instead of another one? Why is your cause important to them?

Get some help from your friends and neighbors

Get people involved in your fundraiser. You can do this in person by having a fundraising event, or you can use various online tools. Our website offers an “Email a Friend” feature that explains your recycling program and shows them how they can sign up to support you. In addition, you don’t have to do all the work – you can even get local businesses involved by leaving a collection box in their lobby and asking them to send it in for you or call you when it’s full.

Ask for advice – you’ll usually end up with a donation

The best thing about asking for advice is that it’s free, and opens the dialogue to opportunities. Set up meetings with friends or organizations to talk and exchange ideas. You never know what will come out of them until you try it.

Set challenging, but attainable goals

Each year you should have a goal and do your best to achieve it before the year ends. Once the year is up, send your contributors a report so that they know how much their efforts benefited your cause. It will also be a great way to introduce the goal for the following year. The Planet Green Recycle program has no deadline, so you can continue to recycle and raise funds 365 days a year!

Your secret weapon is “Pointed Silence”

Yes, silence… Learn to listen… Let people tell you want they really want to say. Marc Koenig from Non-Profit Hub states, “The thing your prospect REALLY wants to tell you – won’t be said if you quickly fill the silence.” He then gives the example of the bad fundraiser vs. the Superman fundraiser:

Bad Fundraiser: “What’s the most important thing about the environment to you?”Donor: “Well, I think environmental damage is a pretty big problem. We’re hurting the environment forever and we don’t even realize it!”Bad Fundraiser: “Yeah, you’re so right! That’s why our Program X is so important! Let me tell you… [Donor hears: “blah blah blah”]

NOOOOOOOO—don’t do this! Your funding for next year will severely suffer.

Here’s how that conversation could have gone:

Superman Fundraiser: “What’s the most important thing about the environment to you?”Donor: “Well, I think environmental damage is a pretty big problem. We’re hurting the environment forever and we don’t even realize it!”Superman Fundraiser: “How interesting!” [waits and listens for donor to respond]Donor: [feels like he should talk because of the silence] “… yeah! It’s really crazy. In fact, the other day I was thinking about when I was a kid and would go out and look at the stars in the country and see meteors and all kinds of awesome stuff. But now that the city is so big, and there’s so much light pollution and smog, when I go out with MY kids to our cabin we’re lucky to see anything. It’s so sad.”

Ask for a specific Items (don’t make your donor do the work)

If donors don’t know exactly what you want, they will not bother to help you. Make your goals clear and give them all the information they will need to make a donation. Donating should be easy and hassle free for the donors. For your Planet Green fundraiser, ask your EnviroFriends to send any empty inkjet cartridges and unwanted small electronics to us. Everyone can recycle at their own pace, and every item sent will contribute to your cause.

Use promotional tools

Promote, promote, promote… With so many causes and organizations out there, your cause needs to be on the map. Visibility is key! Donors need to know that you are working hard every day to reach your fundraising goals. You can promote your Planet Green fundraiser by customizing your Planet Green fundraising website, using the flyers, banners, posters and email templates we provide in your Dashboard, adding a link on your organization’s website to your Planet Green fundraising site, etc.

Take advantage of significant dates. Use birthdays and holidays as reasons to promote

On special occasions, remind your audience why your cause is important and why they should continue to support you. Invite your audience to be generous and celebrate the holiday with a donation!

Get creative

Get noticed! Fundraising is not easy, so stand out from the crowd. Invest in small ads on Facebook or local magazines, add your fundraising site URL on your website, blog and email, ask your EnviroFriends to pick up a customized e-waste collection box to place in their home/business, create an EnviroFriend challenge, etc.

Use social media

We can’t say it enough, don’t ignore social media. Today, everyone is connected and social media allows people to speak directly to their audience. Having an open, direct line of communication with donors and prospects allows for transparency and is invaluable.

Our home is a 30,000 sq.ft. green remanufacturing facility (actually painted green) located in Chatsworth, California. We pride ourselves on being an environmentally friendly group of individuals that provide a service to the planet and our customers by helping others recycle and raise funds for their cause. We believe in providing high quality American made products to our customers, we back this with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Green is not just something we say, it is who we are ... don't forget to turn off the lights!

Connect with Us:

Our Recycling Fundraising program is a great solution for the current e-waste problem affecting
the environment and requires no investment. You can raise thousands of dollars for your organization when
you and your friends recycle and buy recycled inkjet cartridges.
$$

Planet green - Re-manufactured Inkjets and TonersOur Inkjets and toners for printers have same quality as Name-Brands but prices are 70% less. Buy our product and we will send up to 15% of the sale to your organization$$